Spirea plant named &#39;BL0601&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Spirea  cultivar named ‘BL0601’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive green foliage with a greyed-purple cast, change to red-orange in the fall. Plants are compact, sporadically bloom throughout the growing season and show an increased tolerance for foliar diseases. The new cultivar is a  Spirea,  suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Spirea bumalda

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘BL0601’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. Seedscollected by the inventor, Robert Lee, were planted and seedlingsobserved for interesting horticultural variations. Actual parentage isunknown, as the collected seeds were the result of open pollination ofvarious Spirea buldama varieties.

The new variety was selected by the inventor and first propagated bysoftwood cuttings at a commercial nursery in Independence, La. Theinitial propagation showed the mutation to be stable and additionalgenerations were propagated, also by softwood cuttings. Multiplegenerations have been reproduced since approximately May 2004, and haveshown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable andreproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘BL0601’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘BL0601’ These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘BL0601’ as a new and distinct Spirea cultivar:

-   1. Green foliage with a greyed-purple cast that persists during the    growing season.-   2. Compact growth habit-   3. Red-orange fall foliage color-   4. Increased tolerance for foliar diseases.-   5. Repeat sporadic blooming throughout the growing season.

Comparison to Parent Variety

Parent varieties are unknown.

Commercial Comparison

‘BL0601’ can be compared to the commercial variety Spirea bumalda‘Anthony Waterer’. Plants of the new cultivar ‘BL0601’ are similar toplants of ‘Anthony Waterer’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘BL0601’ produce foliage with adistinctive greyed-purple cast not found on ‘Anthony Waterer’.Additionally, the mature plant height of the new variety isapproximately two to three feet, whereas mature plants of ‘AnthonyWaterer’ are typically three to six feet tall. Flower color of ‘BL0601’is significantly lighter than ‘Anthony Waterer’.

‘BL0601’ can also be compared to the commercial variety Spirea bumalda‘Galen’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,712. Plants of the new cultivar ‘BL0601’are similar to plants of this comparator in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘BL0601’ havefoliage that emerges and maintains a green with greyed-purple tones, andchanges to red-orange in the Fall, whereas ‘Galen’ has foliage thatstarts brownish-red, matures to green, and stays green in the Fall.Additionally, plants of ‘BL0601’ are overall larger and better resistantto heat than this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘BL0601’ grown outdoors in Alabama. The plant isapproximately 2 years old, and is shown in a three gallon container. Thephotograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2001 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘BL0601’ plants grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala.Plants are approximately 3 years old, in a 3 gallon nursery container.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Spirea bumalda ‘BL0601’-   Propagation:-   Time to initiate rooting: Approximately 15 days at approximately    22° C. from softwood cuttings.-   Root description: Fine, fibrous young roots, well branched.-   Plant:-   Growth habit: Compact shrub. Dense. Slow to moderate growth rate.-   Height: Approximately 35 cm.-   Plant spread: Approximately 72 cm.-   Branching characteristics: Well branched, approximately 20 primary    branches from center of plant, angled approximately 45°. Each    primary branches has 4 to 6 lateral branches.-   Primary branches:-   Length of primary branches: Approximately 20 to 35 cm.-   Diameter of primary branches: Approximately 0.4 cm.-   Primary branch strength: Very strong, average flexibility, not    brittle.-   Primary branch color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 183B.-   Primary branch texture: Mostly smooth. Irregular steaks of cracking    of bark, showing coloration underneath near Green 143C.-   Lateral branches:-   Length of lateral branches: Approximately 9 to 15 cm.-   Number of lateral branches: Approximately 4 to 6 main lateral    branches per primary branch.-   Diameter of lateral branches: Average 0.25 cm.-   Lateral branch strength: Very strong, flexible-   Lateral branch color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple N86C, wide streaks    Greyed-Orange 175B-   Lateral branch texture: Smooth.-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: Average 12-   Internode length: Average 0.8 cm-   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years.-   Foliage:-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Average length.—Approximately 3.5 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 1.6 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Oval.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Broad attenuate.        -   Attachment.—Stalked.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.        -   Foliage scent.—None.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple            N186B Young foliage under side: Near RHS Green 137B, heavily            flushed Greyed-Purple N186C. Mature foliage upper side: Near            RHS Green 137A Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green            138A.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 144B Venation color under side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 144C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 0.3 cm. Diameter: About 0.15 cm            Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.-   Flower:-   Bloom period:    -   -   Natural season.—late Spring.-   Flower:    -   -   Arrangement.—Umbellate corymbs of rotate flowers.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 7.0 cm.        -   Height.—Approximately 5.0 cm.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average 2.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145B, flushed with            Greyed-Purple 183D.        -   Texture.13 Finely pubescent.        -   Aspect.—Straight to very slightly curved, approximately 35°            angle from stem.-   Flowers:    -   -   Depth.—Average 0.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average 0.6 cm.        -   Facing direction.—Outwardly and upwardly facing.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Petals self cleaning, calyx            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Faint.-   Petals:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 0.45 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 0.3 cm.        -   Apex—Broadly acute.        -   Shape of petal.—Obovate.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal arrangement.—Rotate.        -   Petal number.—5.        -   Petal texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS Red-Purple            70A Under surface at first opening: Near RHS Red-Purple 70B            Upper surface at maturity: Near RHS Red-Purple 70A Under            surface at maturity: Near RHS Red-Purple 70B Upper surface            at fading: Near RHS Red-Purple N74C Under surface at fading:            Near RHS Purple 77C.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Dome.        -   Length.—0.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Red-Purple 70A.-   Calyx/sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—5 sepals.        -   Shape.—Deltate.        -   Length.—0.2 cm.        -   Width.—0.3 cm.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—smooth. Color: Upper Surface: Near RHS Green 137B,            tip Greyed-Purple N186B Lower Surface: Near RHS Green 137B,            tip Greyed-Purple N186C.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—0.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 138A, faintly flushed Greyed-Purple            N186C.        -   Texture.—Softly pubescent.        -   Color.—Upper Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 145B with a            flush of Greyed-Purple 185C Lower Surface: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 145B with a flush along margins of            Greyed-Purple 185C.-   Reproductive organs:-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—5.        -   Length.—0.4 cm, protruding prominently from flower.        -   Width.—0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Purple N186B.        -   Anthers.—Length: Approximately 0.15 cm Color: Near RHS            Greyed-Purple N186A Pollen: Moderate amount observed.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—5.        -   Length.—0.35 cm.        -   Style.—Length: 0.2 cm. Color: Near RHS Red-Purple 71C.        -   Stigma.—Linear, colored near Red-Purple 71D.-   Other characteristics:-   Disease and pest resistance: Not observed to be susceptible nor    resistant to normal diseases and pests of Spirea bumalda.-   Temperature tolerance: USDA Zone 6-   Fruit/seed production: Dry, follicle fruit. Approximately 0.2 cm in    length, 0.15 cm wide. Colored near Grey-Brown N199C. Seeds dustlike.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Spirea plant named‘BL0601’ as herein illustrated and described.